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Firearms amnesty – License or face the music, says MOD

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An estimated 1,200 private security providers have been instructed to re-license their firearms on or before October 31 this year or face the consequences, a senior official of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said yesterday. He said the security providers had been given prior notice towards this effect and therefore they are expected to comply accordingly with the deadline or face the consequences that could include the cancellation of the license, fines or even both.

“The bulk of the security providers are issued with firearms mainly repeater shotguns and others within the same category those mainly transporting cash and bullion and in some cases providing security to VIPs or wealthy individuals as the situation demands”.

However, whatever the case may be these security agencies are required to declare their firearms for re-licensing before the above mentioned date”, he said.

Meanwhile, the defence authorities along with other State agencies are working on a program to recover to hundreds if not thousands of firearms that were issued to politicians across the political divide since the 1988 disturbances. An assortment of firearms was issued to politicians even at the lowest level owing to threats to themselves and their families during the Janatha Vimukthi Permuna (JVP) uprising in the late 1980’s, the official said.

“A large number of these firearms remain unaccounted to date and many may even have fallen into criminal hands and this is worrisome while some of the original owners may even be deceased’, he said.

(sundayobserver.lk)

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Israel agrees to ceasefire proposal

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The Israeli government has said it agreed to the ceasefire proposal after “achieving the objectives” of its attacks on Iran.
According to the statement, Israel has removed Iran’s “dual immediate existential threat” from nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

It also says Israel has “inflicted severe damage on the military leadership, and destroyed dozens of central Iranian government targets”.

The statement goes on to say that Israeli forces, in the last day, have “severely struck government targets in the heart of Tehran, eliminating hundreds of Basij operatives” – a militia the Iranian government often uses to suppress protests – and “eliminating another senior nuclear scientist”.

“Israel thanks President Trump and the United States for their support in defence and their participation in eliminating the Iranian nuclear threat,” the statement adds.

Earlier, Iran state TV news channel IRINN says a ceasefire has been “imposed” on Israel following the “successful” Iranian attack on the US base in Qatar.

State TV said in a statement that Trump “begged” for a ceasefire following Iran’s attack. The statement was read aloud by the presenter.

The statement also hailed Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Army and praised the “resistance” of Iranians.

The statement also called Iran’s attack on the US base in Qatar as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ “successful” response to the US attacking three Iranian nuclear sites, while Qatar said all missiles were intercepted.

(Excerpts : BBC News)

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3 including Consultant neurosurgeon, further remanded

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The Colombo Magistrate’s Court today (June 24) rejected the bail applications of 03 suspects, including Dr. Maheshi Wijeratne – a consultant neurosurgeon attached to the Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital, who were who were arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).

Accordingly, Colombo Chief Magistrate – Thanuja Lakmali ordered that the suspects be further remanded until July 08.

The three suspects were arrested on June 17 in connection with the alleged sale of medicines at higher prices through a third party.

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Colombo Central Bus Stand to be upgraded

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In line with the “Clean Sri Lanka” programme, the government plans to upgrade the Colombo Central Bus Stand within the next year.

In line with the same initiative, 50 major bus stands nationwide are scheduled for renovation, with assistance from the Sri Lanka Air Force.  

The renovation of the Colombo Central Bus Stand will include the refurbishment of key facilities such as the canteen, rest area, ticket counters, administrative unit, operations room and driver quarters.

Established in 1964, the Colombo Central Bus Stand spans 1.42 hectares and currently handles between 1,500 to 2,000 buses daily.

These details were revealed during a discussion held yesterday (June 23) at the Presidential Secretariat on the “Clean Sri Lanka” programme.

The meeting was attended by Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Bimal Rathnayake, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Air Vice Marshal (Retired) Sampath Thuyacontha, Secretary of Defence, Senior Officers of the Sri Lanka Air Force and other government officials.

(President’s Media Division)

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